Chapter 122: Where Does Tender Feeling Find Its Home?

During their conversation, the kind-faced Madame Qin brought more food: fresh jujubes, cherries, red water chestnuts.

Qin Ye then explained that Madame Qin was from Jin Ling; her family had always favored these Jin Ling snacks, and this time she and the young lady had come along with Qin Ye to visit family in Jin Ling.

Qin Ye was quite talkative, covering topics from court anecdotes and official duties to local gossip and old acquaintances.

Jia Cong merely smiled and listened; the voyage was dull, and having someone to chat with helped pass the time—he occasionally shared his own reflections.

Qin Ye was astonished to hear him; though Jia Cong was not yet twenty, his few words often carried profound insight, original ideas, and thought-provoking depth that felt refreshingly new.

Qin Ye came from a humble family; though he earned his official post through hard study and the imperial examinations, life in the imperial capital was exceedingly difficult, and becoming a court official even harder.

He was a man of ambition and calculation, exhausting his family's wealth to maneuver through connections, and by leveraging his ancestral skills in construction, he somehow secured the position of Assistant Director of Works—a stroke of luck that left his family's finances utterly drained.

On the surface he was a minor official with some dignity, but in reality he lived only on his meager salary, his lofty ambitions undimmed.

His daughter was not his biological child, but one his wife had adopted from a foundling home; reportedly, upon seeing the infant's jade-like beauty, his wife had insisted on bringing her home to raise.

The elder Jia Zhu, Lord Jing of the Eastern Mansion, and others—all of whom passed the scholar and imperial exams—did not study in the clan school, but at the Imperial Academy or private academies.

Now that Jia Cong, the top candidate in the prefectural examination, had delivered such a scathing critique of the Jia clan school, it felt like a sudden blow to the head.

If they still forced their son into the Jia clan school, it would plainly reveal their ulterior motives and make them look utterly foolish.

He himself didn't mind, but his wife loved this daughter more than her own life, treating her no differently from a biological child; and this daughter was a natural beauty, her stunning looks already astonishing by age ten.

Qin Ye had originally planned that after his daughter married into the Jia family, he would send his son Qin Zhong to study at the Jia clan school, so both children could form ties with the Jias.

Upon seeing Jia Cong's learning and bearing, Qin Ye shifted the topic to the Jia clan school, praising it as extraordinary for producing a prefectural examination top scorer like Jia Cong.

Forty years as a scholar, yet never advanced further in the exams—just think for yourself what kind of caliber that is.

Otherwise, Lord Zhen of the Ningguo Mansion would never have chosen her as a daughter-in-law; remember, that young Rong is the direct heir of the Ningguo Duke—his family's status was far beyond what Qin's could ever reach.

Master Jia Dairu, who has taught in the clan school for decades, was already a scholar during the Emperor Hongxuan era—that's forty years ago. I myself only gained some grounding after studying under Master Liu and spending years in hard study at Qingshan Academy.

He did not realize that Jia Cong's words were entirely well-intentioned: they were sparing him from pushing his son into the Jia clan school's firepit, where a young boy's future would be wasted.

At that moment, Jia Cong suddenly noticed the sliding door of the inner cabin had been opened slightly—barely visible was the flutter of a plain-colored dress.

Jia Cong held back a smile; he had no trouble understanding Qin Ye's meaning.

He said that place was only fit for learning a few characters, always full of mischief, and its tutor was a scholar from the Emperor Hongxuan era—that is, a scholar from forty years ago, since Emperor Hongxuan was the reign title of the current emperor's grandfather.

He said: "Though I studied for a few years in the clan school as a child, I only learned to recognize a few characters. Jia family children all grow up that way—it's truly a place of play and distraction."

Jia Cong's remarks left Qin Ye stunned; though Jia Cong spoke lightly and without fault, he had in fact utterly dismissed the Jia clan school as worthless.

Seeing the hour was late, Jia Cong took his leave of Qin Ye.

The boat would anchor overnight in Baoying County; he planned to go into town that evening to buy several herbal remedies for Wu'er, who had been unwell since two days ago—motion sickness from the boat and exposure to the river wind had left her lingeringly ill.

Fortunately, he remembered several folk remedies from his past life for dispelling wind and expelling evil spirits—they were highly effective.

After Jia Cong left, Madame Qin entered and said: "Master, from what the young master Jia said, the Jia clan school seems quite unsuitable. Are you still planning to send Zhong'er there? Won't that ruin him?"

Qin Ye replied: "Jia Cong is a student of Liu Jing'an, and the prefectural examination top scorer—his talent is considerable, his perspective naturally elevated. What he looks down upon may not be truly bad."

The sliding door to the inner cabin opened, and the radiant girl, as lovely as a rosebud, stepped out. "Father, I heard everything from behind the door. That young master Jia's words carried sincerity—he meant well."

He himself studied at an academy—if the Jia clan school were truly good, why would he have gone elsewhere? He himself said it was only fit for learning a few characters—why then should we trouble ourselves to send Brother to it?"

Qin Ye frowned. "What does a girl know? I have my own judgment. Aren't you still unwell from the river wind? Go rest."

The girl huffed in protest, turned her slender waist, and sulked back into the inner cabin.

Madame Qin said: "Master, Qin Keqing's words aren't without reason. Also, I've always felt uneasy about Qin Keqing's marriage."

Qin Ye frowned again. "What's wrong now?"

Madame Qin looked worried. "A few days ago, while drinking tea with several official ladies in the capital, I heard rumors about your future son-in-law—that he neglects his studies, spends his days horseback riding and cockfighting, and frequently visits brothels."

"Qin Keqing will marry into that household next year—I'm truly uneasy."

Qin Ye's expression changed, but he remained silent.

Madame Qin added: "This young assistant magistrate—how young he is, already top of the prefectural exam, granted an official post by the Emperor himself, and his appearance and bearing are rare in this world. Yet the Jia family's sons are so different."

Qin Ye's eyes flickered. "Jia Cong studied outside for the past two years, completely unnoticed—then suddenly he rose like this. Who could have foreseen it? Even the Emperor favors him. Truly, the younger generation is formidable."

Madame Qin said: "This young man has a clear, upright spirit—he's pleasing to look at. His age and bearing suit Qin Keqing perfectly. If only we had originally proposed him for Qin Keqing's match..."

Qin Ye was certainly moved—how could Rong compare to a man like Jia Cong? But the matter was settled; the deed was done.

"What use is saying this now? The betrothal tokens have been exchanged, the four wedding rites completed—Qin Keqing is already of the Ningguo Mansion. She marries next year."

Madame Qin sighed with deep worry, blaming herself: before the match was arranged, her husband had only valued the Ningguo Mansion's illustrious lineage and never properly investigated the groom's character—by the time she learned the truth, it was too late.

In fact, she had softened the truth about Rong's conduct; some things, as a woman, she simply could not say aloud—Rong not only favored young men, but consorted with male entertainers in brothels.

Otherwise, she would never have foolishly mentioned Jia Cong—it was desperation, grasping at straws.

But her husband was right: the four rites were complete, the match was final. To break an engagement was taboo among official families—utterly impossible. This was simply her daughter's fate.

The couple lowered their voices for a few more words, then fell silent. To marry a rooster is to follow the rooster, to marry a dog is to follow the dog—what more could be said?

Neither noticed the inner cabin door remained slightly ajar—hard to detect unless one looked closely—behind it, the exquisitely beautiful girl was weeping bitterly.

The man she was to marry was a dissolute playboy, addicted to brothels and ignorant of learning—if not for her father's greed for wealth and status, how could she have ended up like this?

Must she spend her life with such a man? The answer was obvious—she could not escape. Her heart grew chaotic, her mind numb with despair.

Without warning, she recalled her mother's words, her heart stirred—unbidden, she thought of the boy standing on the bow, his robes fluttering like a celestial being.

(End of Chapter)